music / REFRACT / Jason Moran, Marcus Gilmore, and Blankfor.ms (Red Hook Ltd.) ANDREW HILL / Smoke Stack (Blue Note) GEMINI RIGHTS / Steve Lacy (L-M Records) Y-OTIS 2 / Otis Sandsjö (We Jazz) OWL SONG / Ambrose Akinmusire (Nonesuch) NEW…
I was recently interviewed for Leo Sidran’s wonderful podcast, The Third Story. Listen here –– episode: “The Ones That Got Away, 2022 Holiday Edition” I have been a big fan of The Third Story for quite some time – if you haven’t checked…
Miles and Wynton both agree… Don Cherry is important. “Don Cherry, I like…” – Miles Davisby Leonard Feather, Down Beat Volume 58 No. 12first published by Down Beat, June 1964 “I loved Don Cherry.” – Wynton Marsalisinterviewed by Will Layman…
No history, no future. *an edited version of this essay will appear as the introduction the forthcoming book “Images of America, Milwaukee Jazz” by Joey Grihalva on Arcadia Publishing Co. (preorder the book here: mkejazzbook.com) Many have proclaimed the “death of…
Unlike the Classical player, the jazz artist must achieve a technique that uncovers the self, that answers the question that Ellison says is the question of American art: Who am I? -Robert G O’Meally, from the introduction ‘Jazz Shapes’ to Ralph…
In Make the Road by Walking I mentioned allowing one’s life experiences, personal relationships, childhood memories, visual artistic expressions (ie. the smells, tastes, sights, and sounds of daily life) to influence one’s music. Here, I would like to share with you a personal example of…
“The pattern for the tune will be forgotten, and the tune itself will be the pattern.” -Ornette Coleman (from Ornette Coleman, A Harmolodic Life) To me, there are certain musicians who deserve specific attention… who require deliberate study. — The controversial,…
Barry Harris, piano 7/27/16 “I tell some of the young kids in order to be a jazz musician you have to play a Monk song. You don’t play a Monk song, I feel there’s something funny about you being…
Having been deeply rooted in the MKE jazz scene for my entire performing career, I have a pretty clear picture of the state of the scene. I have seen it’s ebb and flow and have witnessed multiple waves of growth…